Tourists Perspective: Inclusion of Entotourism Concept in Ecotourism Activity

Abstract

This research was primarily conducted in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Lahad Datu, Sabah, with the aim to determine the response of tourists to the concept of including invertebrate information in current and planned ecotourism activities in order to increase conservation efforts involving invertebrates. A questionnaire survey was distributed during the preliminary entotourism activity in order to test the conceptual framework set posited in this research. The development of the conceptual framework in this study detailed the model of network of relationship among the variables that needed to be scrutinized. Data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) software programme which uses the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SEM analysis revealed a significant variance of Ecotourism that was well explained by all four exogenous variables (Activity, Information, Interest and Willingness). The findings of this study aspire to contribute to the literature of invertebrate species conservation awareness in Sabah, since very limited research is conducted specifically on the entotourism field.